1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of snorkeling equipment and more specifically to a splash-guard device which may be optionally added to an existing snorkel tube at the top end thereof, for significantly reducing the entry of water such as from wave splashing and the like.
2. Prior Art
The ideal snorkel would permit the free-flow of air into and out of the snorkel tube through the top thereof, while preventing the entry of water therein and simultaneously permitting the user to blow water out of the tube, in the event some water enters the interior of the snorkel. One of the reasons for water entry into the top of the snorkel tube is the splashing effect, due to wave action or merely the disruption of the water surface by action of the snorkeler. In any case, even when the snorkeler scrupulously avoids allowing the top open end of the snorkel tube to fall below the surface of the water, water is nevertheless likely to enter the top of the tube and interfere with the snorkeler's breathing and require that he or she blow or eject the water out of the snorkel in order to resume normal breathing through the snorkel tube. The prior art is rife with attempts to overcome this problem, namely, a variety of devices disclosed as means for preventing the entry of splashed water through the top of the snorkel tube during the use thereof. Unfortunately, all such prior art attempts known to the applicant herein, suffer from one or more disadvantages which reduce the likelihood for commercial viability. By way of example, in many such prior art disclosures, the structures used to prevent water entry into the top of the snorkel tube, while still permitting air flow both into and out of the top of the snorkel tube are entirely too cumbersome, complex and expensive to produce. Some involve the use of various types of valves which are inherently complicated and involve costly manufacturing processes. Others are so cumbersome in their structure and appearance that they significantly detract from the aesthetic aspects of the snorkel tube and are thus commercially unacceptable. Furthermore, in all such prior art disclosures, the device disclosed for preventing the entry of splashed water into the top of the snorkel tube is typically provided as an integral portion of the snorkel tube, thus requiring the purchasing public to buy a new snorkel in order to incorporate the splashed water blocking feature.
Typical examples of such prior art disclosures may be found in the following patents.
______________________________________ 2,814,292 Girden 2,815,751 Ferraro 2,888,010 Girden 3,141,469 Stradella 3,345,984 Katehis 3,721,236 Bardehle 3,768,504 Rentsch, Jr. 4,610,246 Delphia 4,793,341 Arasmith 4,805,610 Hunt 5,117,817 Lin ______________________________________
U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,751 to Ferraro is directed to a breathing valve for a submarine mask. The submarine mask includes an oscillating arm 1 pivotally mounted on a union T of a breathing tube and having a disk-shaped member 4 attached to the free end thereof, and an arm 5 pivotally mounted to the union T and having a buoyant body 6 attached to the free end thereof. The closing member 4 is made of a material heavier than water. Under normal conditions, the buoyancy of the body 6 forces the closing member 4 outward, thereby closing the breathing tube. As shown in FIG. 5, when the position of the breathing tube is inverted, the closing member 4, due to its own weight, closes the orifice of the breathing tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,504 to Rentsch, Jr. is directed to a check valve for use with a snorkel type breathing tube. The snorkel includes a tube 50 having a conventional mouthpiece attached to the lower end of the tube, an annular member 20 attached to the upper end or free end of the tube 50, and a check valve having a ball 12 adapted to be seated on one end of the annular member. The ball 12 is weighted so as to be neutrally buoyant when submerged in water and is joined to the angle member 20 by a spring 40 which exerts a light biasing force on the ball causing it to sealingly engage a valve seat defined at one end of the annular member 20.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,141,469 to Stradella is directed to a diving mask. The diving mask includes a breathing pipe 1 provided with a cage 2 on the upper end of the breathing pipe for receiving and guiding the valve member 3, a pivotal fork assembly 7-9 mounted to the cage 2, and a float body 11 mounted to the free end of the fork assembly 7-9. The portion of the float body 11 is interchangeable, while the remainder is solid and flat. As shown in FIG. 1, the float body 11 is movable between two positions for opening and closing the bottom member 3.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,292 to Girden is directed to a breathing apparatus. The breathing apparatus 10 includes a breathing tube 12 having a mouthpiece attached to its lower end, a splash guard 13 attached to the upper end of the breathing tube, and a float control valve 16 provided at the upper end of the breathing tube 12 and automatically operable to seal the latter in response to submerging of the upper end of the breathing tube.
It will be seen therefore that there is a continuing need to provide a device which may be readily added to existing snorkel tubes and which is comprised of a simple and inexpensively produced structure which does not significantly detract from the overall aesthetic appearance of the snorkel.